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The Albany Congress was the first time in the 18th century that colonial representatives met to discuss some manner of formal union. In the 17th century, some New England colonies had formed a loose association called the New England Confederation, principally for purposes of defense, as raiding by French and allied tribes was frequent. In the 1680s, the British Government created the Dominion of New England as a unifying government on the colonies between the Delaware River and Penobscot Bay; it was dissolved in 1689. Jacob Leisler summoned an intercolonial congress, which met in New York on 1 May 1690, to plan concerted action against the French and Indians.[2] Because of differences in threat, he attracted only the colonies as far south as Maryland.[3]

The Albany delegates spent most of their time debating Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of union to create a unified level of colonial government. The delegates voted approval of a plan that called for a union of 11 colonies, with a president appointed by the British Crown. Each colonial assembly would send 2 to 7 delegates to a "grand council," which would have legislative powers. The Union would have jurisdiction over Native affairs.

The plan was rejected by the colonies' legislatures, which never were jealous of their powers, and by the Colonial Office, which wanted a military command. Much of the elements of the plan were later the basis for the American governments established by the Articles of Confederation of 1777 and the Constitution of 1787. Franklin speculated that had the 1754 plan been adopted, the colonial separation from England might not have happened so soon.

The Congress and its Albany Plan have achieved iconic status as presaging the formation of the United States of America in 1776. It is often illustrated with Franklin's famous snake cartoon, "Join or Die!" Historians generally reject the popular notion that the delegates were inspired by the Iroquois Confederation, as they were more familiar with English precedents, examples, and political philosophy that were incorporated into the plan. .[4]

Benjamin Franklin's plan to unite the colonies exceeded the scope of the congress, which had been called to plan a defense to the French and Indian threat. The original plan was heavily debated by all who attended the conference including the young Philadelphia lawyer Benjamin Chew.[5] Numerous modifications were also proposed by Thomas Hutchinson, who later became Governor of Massachusetts. The delegates passed the plan unanimously. They submitted it with their recommendations, but the legislatures of the seven colonies rejected it, as it would have removed some of their existing powers. The plan was never sent to the Crown for approval, although it was submitted to the British Board of Trade, which also rejected it.

The Plan of Union proposed to include all the British North American colonies (note the "Lower Counties on the Delaware" were then administered by Pennsylvania, and Georgia Colony was slow to start) although none of the colonies south of Maryland sent representatives to the Albany Congress. The plan called for a single executive (President-General) to be appointed by the King, who would be responsible for relations with the natives, military preparedness, and execution of laws regulating various trade and financial activities. It called for a Grand Council to be selected by the colonial legislatures, with the number of delegates to be apportioned according to the taxes paid by each colony. Although the colonial assemblies rejected the plan, delegates forming the government after the Revolution incorporated some features of this plan in the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.

On Reflection it now seems probable, that if the foregoing Plan or some thing like it, had been adopted and carried into Execution, the subsequent Separation of the Colonies from the Mother Country might not so soon have happened, nor the Mischiefs suffered on both sides have occurred, perhaps during another Century. For the Colonies, if so united, would have really been, as they then thought themselves, sufficient to their own Defence, and being trusted with it, as by the Plan, an Army from Britain, for that purpose would have been unnecessary: The Pretences for framing the Stamp-Act would not then have existed, nor the other Projects for drawing a Revenue from America to Britain by Acts of Parliament, which were the Cause of the Breach, and attended with such terrible Expence of Blood and Treasure: so that the different Parts of the Empire might still have remained in Peace and Union.

Twenty-one representatives of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire attended the Congress. James DeLancey, Governor of New York, as host governor was the Chairman. Peter Wraxall served as Secretary to the Congress.